Vive la France!

Not so happy.

During the war in ex-Yugoslavia, France was quite trigger-happy and not careful about avoiding civilian installations, and had to be talked down by the U.S. on a number of occasions.  When France goes to war, it can be quite belligerent, and belligerence doesn’t always bring about victory.  They could get major blowback which would be more of a victory for al-Qaida than a loss.

There was a cartoon in the “New Yorker” recently with the caption “I always wanted to live the American Dream—I just never realized I was going have to move to France to get it.”  #2—While I share your concern, Al-Quida and militant Islam only understand and respond to one thing—violent death. Don’t forget that we had several chances to take out Ben Laden, and failed to do so.  If there is collateral damage opr death, it would be appropriate to blame Al Quida and militants, who are evil and black hearted people.

I applaud the French declaration.  The French Army and intelligence services are very good at this sort of thing.

I don’t believe it. This must be a poisson d’avril.

only 9 years after the rest of the western world

I predict they will be more effective than the rest of the western world, the US, UK and Canada excepted.

France has been in the thick of this fight for a long time. Back in the ‘04 election it would have been very easy for GW Bush to toss his base some ‘red meat’ by dissing on France.

There’s a reason he did not. France have been covertly with us—and effectively so—for a long time.  France cannot project a lot of power over long distances, but they are very tough customers in a dirty fight, especially in their back yard.

For those of us who read French and follow such things this is unsurprising, old news. The surprising part is that they’ve decided to be much more public about it.

As one involved in humanitarian work in West Africa who had a close friend and colleague killed by terrorists, I’m certainly thankful for an increasingly serious effort by the French, US and local governments in the region, to fight the spread of terrorism across the Sahel.  But I and my colleagues would appreciate prayers for safety.  NGO workers like Michel Germaneau who was killed, and the two Spanish hostages which AQIM are still holding in Mali,  have become quite frequent targets of al Qaeda.  So I and my colleagues are anxious about possible reprisals if AQIM are feeling threatened.

The word was that when the Germans were given a choice as to who they’d rather surrender to near the end of World War 2, they picked the Americans and British rather than the French…...for a very good reason.  French troops can be vicious fighters, and especially when the fight’s in their own back yard.  The Legionnaires have no love for such as al Qaida…..of that you can be certain, and they will meet in mortal combat.  Personally, I wouldn’t give a plug nickel for an al Qaida fighter’s chances of survival.

Many off topic and personal comments removed by elf.